


Of Masks and Hoods

by AJadeLion



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, Masks au, No War AU, Vigilante AU, it's vague, non graphic mentions of people doing bad things to children, otherwise ambiguously canon setting???, pre-relationship I suppose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23286562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJadeLion/pseuds/AJadeLion
Summary: After a rough night, Ashe, the vigilante known as the Blue Hood just wants to be left alone. Unfortunately, the Silver Songbird has his own opinions on the matter and an offer to make.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33
Collections: Bread Eaters





	Of Masks and Hoods

**Author's Note:**

> Me: I need to think about something that Isn't the hockey au  
> My brain: Okay how about this Other super self-indulgent au?  
> Me: You have my attention
> 
> Anyway, the concept of this has been rattling around in my head for a month now and I was surprised with how quickly it came together when I actually sat down to write it. I meant for this just to be a quick one and done, stand-alone one-shot that didn't have much world-building or background and it doesn't have A Ton but it admittedly already has more than I ever intended so who knows maybe I'll return here at some point. 
> 
> Me, aging up Alois' daughter for my own convenience? It's more likely than you'd think. Same deal with Ashe being only 3 years and change older than his siblings. It was convenient for me and so I Did It.

“Anything else?” 

Ashe looks over at his younger sister. Even with only the moon for light and her shimmering golden veil concealing her face, Ashe knows Arianne is bursting with impatient energy. 

He can’t blame her. He too is not thrilled about being here in the dead of night either, “No. Alois and the Knights will take care of the children. We should wrap up for the night. You have school tomorrow.” 

“Hey,” She sinks an elbow into his side, sending one of the blades hanging at her waist careening into his bow, “Secret Identities.” 

Ashe resists the urge to roll his eyes. He’s been doing this for over half a decade. Since he was younger than her. He’s gotten pretty good at keeping his identity a secret. 

“Go home Ghost, I won’t be long.” 

With permission granted, the Golden Ghost leaps forward, shimmering and then all but vanishes into the night air. She’s earned her name well. 

Ashe follows, trailing her for the better part of a mile. He knows these streets well. Knows how to avoid street lamps and the worst of the mud. 

He stops just as the houses start to turn from commoner wood to the wealthy white stone. Breaking from his path by turning into a dead-end alley. He’s exhausted but not ready to return to Castle Gaspard. Not yet. He’s not ready to be Ashe again. 

He sinks into the ground, leaning his back against the unforgiving alley wall. It’s ill-advised but it’s the dead of night and he’s still far enough from home that the chances of being recognized are slim and so he tugs down the grey cloth that covers his mouth and pushes back his trademark hood.

He shouldn’t be feeling like this. He should feel like a hero. He just saved 11 kids, the oldest maybe 7. Just saved the lives of 11 children, each more scared and starving than the last. With the help of the Ghost and two other young vigilantes, he’d been able to free them from the clutches of someone who wanted to harm them. 

They’re safe now, with the knights and the church. Or so he has to believe. 

The children are safe but the vile beings that took them in the first place are still out there. How can Ashe return home, return to Aliks who sits at the bedside of the unwaking Julian Galatea? How can he return to his brother and tell him that he failed? Perhaps Arianne will make sure that her twin eats and sleeps. 

During the day, when he exists as a normal 19-year-old, he teaches children. He teaches them to read and write, he teaches kindness and goodness and that there's nothing that a good meal can't fix. But despite it being the right way to do things, he still feels powerless doing it. So he still comes out at night, years after he promised to stop, bow in hand, quiver strapped to his back trying to make a real difference. But tonight he feels just as powerless as he does during the day. 

“Rough night?” 

At the sound of the familiar voice echoing around him, Ashe pulls his mask and hood back up and jumps back to his feet, his right hand resting on his quiver. 

It’s unnecessary of course, because the voice belongs to the Silver Songbird, sitting perched on the far wall, and he and Yuri have known each other’s identities for years now. 

“Go away. I’m not in the mood.” On nights where Ashe is feeling good-natured, that is, almost every night that isn’t tonight, he’s more than willing to engage the other vigilante in conversation that falls somewhere between polite small talk, friendly banter and shy flirtation.

He wants to scream. 

But not tonight. Tonight he has no interest in being around the Songbird who leads his crew of vigilantes with ease and confidence. Who is never plagued with the doubts that shadow Ashe night-in and night-out.

Yuri sings two notes that echo eerily around the alley as he silently hops down from his perch, “Oh, that’s hurtful.” He presses his hands over his heart as he feigns being gravely wounded there. 

“I’m serious.” Ashe’s fingers close around an arrow and slides it free from his quiver. Next thing he knows, his bow is fully drawn with the arrow aimed directly at the Songbird’s chest. 

The black and white mask around his eyes moves as his eyes widen in surprise but he remains otherwise calm, “Come now Hood, you’re not going to shoot me. We’re on the same side.”

“What side? Isn’t the whole reason you became a vigilante so that you can serve whoever you want, whenever you feel like? Your allegiance never remains the same long enough for anyone to figure it out.” 

Ashe, who is normally so good at keeping his tone light, hears bitterness start to bite at the edge of his words. He’d like to think that if anyone could figure out the Songbird’s true allegiances it would be him. Nobody has done this longer than either of them. Years ago when they were both just scared hungry young teenagers, it had just been the two of them on the streets. 

Over the years, the now Silver Songbird has gone through a cornucopia of names, shedding them seemingly as quickly as he changes his allegiance. More than once Yuri has saved Ashe’s life but also more than once Yuri has straight-up disappeared when Ashe could really use a hand. 

“Perhaps we’ve never seen eye to eye on the way to do things but you cannot deny that we both want what’s best for the people. You’re not going to kill me.” 

It’s true, for multiple reasons. One, despite the fact that they’ve never gotten along particularly well in the streets, they’re almost always bound to end up arguing about Something, they both help people and taking the other out for good is in direct conflict to their greater mission. And two, Ashe doesn’t kill. Not when there’s any other way. His thing has always been that he wants to be like the Knights but better, serve the people while doing as little harm as possible. And sometimes when he’s feeling particularly vindictive he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. 

“I won’t kill you but if my fingers slipped and I grazed your shoulder I can’t guarantee I’ll shed any tears. I told you. I’m not in the mood.” 

The Songbird takes several silent steps, starting to close the space between them, “So I was right. Something is wrong.” 

Of course, something is wrong. Something is always wrong. Neither of them would be vigilantes, out each night, breaking the law if nothing was wrong. 

Of course, something is wrong. His 16-year-old brother is sitting vigil at the bedside of a 15-year-old runaway who might never wake up. Julian needs medical attention, real medication attention, more than what the herbs Ashe mashes can offer. Should he write to Ingrid, tell her that he has her brother in his attic? Perhaps they can save him. But if Julian goes back home, who knows what punishment he’ll face. But if he dies, will Aliks ever speak to Ashe again?

Of course, something is wrong, his sister has fallen head over heels for a girl who’s father could be the end of them all. Alois is a kind man but he’s a Knight and the Knights serve the Church and the Church opposes all vigilantes. Sofia is not her father but still, every moment that Adrianne spends staring lovingly into her eyes is a moment that Ashe finds it that much harder to breathe. They’ll be caught, and for what?

Of course, something is wrong. Someone is hurting kids. Kids who have nothing wrong but dare to be hurt and scared and sick and hungry. Just like he was. Just like they both were. 

“If you’re all about the good of the people why are you here? Shouldn’t you be out there? Saving lives? Helping people?”

“I already did. Broke up a bar fight, helped a little girl find her puppy, just saved a very nice young couple who had a few many drinks and got too close to a pack of wolves. Now, I’m here with you.” 

He ticks each item off on the fingers of his gloved hand. 

Despite the burn in his arm, his left-hand remains unflinchingly steady, his aim true “I don’t need saving.” 

“Have you seen your face lately? You look exhausted.” 

Heat rises in his cheeks and Ashe is thankful for the mask that still covers them, “You can’t see my face.” He counters.

“That’s not what I meant,” Yuri peels his mask off and lets his hair falls free from the band that had been holding it up.

He’s no longer speaking as the Silver Songbird, despite the silver and purple armor, he’s just Yuri again. 

Reluctantly, Ashe lowers his bow and puts the arrow back in his quiver. He can’t even posture like he’s going to shoot when Yuri doesn’t have his mask on. 

For years they’d shared the streets, completely, blissfully unaware of each other’s true identities. They were friends during the day, just a couple of adopted kids trying their best, totally unaware that at night that they argued over the ethics of their methods of fighting for justice. 

At first, it seems odd that they wouldn't recognize one of their closest friends just because of cloth covering their facial features, but Ashe knows he's different like this. He's louder, cockier, angrier. He's everything that he refuses to be during the day. Everything he refuses to be as Ashe. Perhaps that truly is enough to disguise him. 

But now they know and they can’t un-know and so lines have been blurred and can’t be un-blurred. So things have been weird, things are weird, and perhaps things will always be weird. The idea that Yuri looks at him during the day and thinks of their activities at night is more than a little unnerving. 

“I am only human.” 

At a loss for what to do with his free hand, Yuri slowly twirls his sword, “If I didn’t know better I’d say you were patrolling alone.” 

“Oh?” Ashe asks, ignoring his racing heart to keep his tone level. 

Yuri contemplates his reflection in his blade, “Isn’t that against your rules? Against your Code for your little crew? No one ever patrols alone?” 

It is. It’s rule number one actually. Which is sort of funny, considering that he spent all that time patrolling alone so that Ari and Aliks would never have to turn to this kind of life. But they’re not children anymore, they’re teenagers and if they want to fight, he can’t stop them. But he can protect them. And it’s not just the twins and Jules either, the vigilantes in the area now number over a dozen and all of them look to Ashe. It’s more responsibility than he wanted to have at 19 but he can’t just leave them. So he made the Code. Rules, that with any luck will keep them safe. Or at least safer. 

Rule Number One is Never Patrol Alone. It’s the first rule and he breaks it almost every night. 

“Did you come all this way just to lecture me about my patrolling habits?” 

“No,” Yuri says and Ashe realizes that there’s exhaustion etched into his face as well. That perhaps, this, whatever it is, is impacting him as well, “I’m here to make a deal.” 

“Oh?” Ashe can’t contain his curiosity. For as long as he can remember, he’s always had the uncanny ability to come out of a deal as the more satisfied participant. But Yuri is no fool and he has luck on his side and so whatever he has to offer must be interesting. 

Yuri sighs, “You’re not the only one working overtime dealing with these traffickers.” 

Ashe winces, “They’re in your territory as well?” 

Yuri’s hand drops his sword and he grabs helplessly at the night air, “They’re everywhere. Children have been going missing everywhere. My guess is they started in places that don’t have people like us to protect them. ”

A shiver that has nothing to do with the growing wind runs down Ashe’s spine, “The Knights do what they can.” 

Yuri laughs, a sound so harsh it lacks music, “Even after all of this time you still have faith in them don’t you.” 

“They’re not all bad people.” 

This has always been one of their greatest disagreements. Ashe’s willingness to work with the Knights. Not for them, but with them. He can’t do this alone, he can’t save people alone and so if Alois agrees not to arrest him if he turns the kids he saves over to them then maybe that’s for the best. There are still plenty of his activities that he doesn’t tell the Knights about. 

“Which is why instead of becoming one, you spend your nights patrolling the streets in direct disobedience of the laws laid out by the church and enforced by the Knights.” 

Yuri and his friends spend their nights running from the Knights but Ashe knows that at least once the church has bailed them out as well. It’s messy and complicated and they can debate the semantics of it until the cows come home. But he doesn’t want to. 

“Alright, I hear you. Didn’t you come here to make a deal?” 

“I did, yes.” Yuri leans against the wall and goes quiet. 

“What are you proposing?” 

“For years I have followed your Code, I’ve stayed on my side and you’ve stayed on your side. But Hood, this is bigger than territories. It will take both of us.” 

Even in the early days, when it was just the two of them, they found that the easiest way to resolve their disagreements was just to split the land. They’ve drawn map after map, dividing the territory into sections and allotting permissions. 90% of the time, they don’t interfere with what goes on in the other’s space. 

This is sort of unprecedented. They don’t ask each other for help. They just show up at the last possible moment just in time to save the other from certain death. 

“You want an alliance?” 

“Don’t we already have one of those? No. I’m proposing a partnership.” He says it lightly but even in the dark Ashe can see how serious Yuri’s eyes have gotten. 

“A partnership. You want...us to work together?” It feels foreign even just to say. They had an unspoken thing once but that was broken when they’d found out each other’s identities. The idea of trying to fix it, of trying to move past it feels odd. But not entirely unpleasant. 

“Yes. We’d continue with our normal business as usual but afterward, we’d meet up, the two of us and conduct extra patrols. See if we can’t stop this before it gets worse.” 

Ashe shivers again, the idea of this getting worse is literally his nightmare, “Why me?” 

“I could use the help from someone with your skillset. You know me, I’m no good with a lance or an axe and you’re still better than me with a bow.”

Ashe considers this. It’s true that they have different skillsets when it comes to weaponry. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t envious of the other’s magical talents. But that isn’t enough, surely there’s someone in Yuri’s group of vigilantes that’s capable with an axe. 

Suddenly, Yuri continues, “Also, I trust you.” 

“You trust me?” Ashe echos, astonishment heavy in his voice. 

“Yes. With my life, if it comes to it,” With an elegant flick of his left wrist, Yuri sends something flying through the air and Ashe barely manages to grab it before it collides with his face. He stares down at it, Yuri’s mask, Yuri grins a serious smile, “So, what do you say?” 

They’ve been standing here, still in the cold night air but Ashe’s heart races so fast that hie entire body burns. He struggles to find his voice, “Do I get to make any requests?” 

Yuri cocks his head, “What do you want?”

What does he want? It’s a loaded question. There’s a lot that he wants but most of it, Yuri can’t offer. So what does he want that Yuri can? He’s already offering trust which is perhaps the most valuable thing Ashe can think of. So what does he want? He stares down at the Songbird mask in his hands and he knows, “At the Moon Festival this month, meet me in the flower fields and sing to me like when we were kids.” 

For a long moment, Ashe thinks Yuri will refuse. Yuri always refuses to sing for anyone who isn’t a sick child. But then a smile spreads across his face, “Done.” 

Ashe extends his right hand out, “Then we have a deal, partner.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
